Specialty and Specialist Doctors Committee members

I wish to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the Chair of the RCPsych SAS Committee.

I am a Specialty Doctor in Old Age Psychiatry at Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, the SAS tutor and the CESR Fellowship Scheme Lead in my trust and a medical appraiser. 

After obtaining a medical degree from The University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj, Romania, I gained a BA in Psychology from Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj and MSc from Manchester University. I was awarded a PhD from University of Leeds for my work in the neuropsychology of dementia. I passed the PLAB soon after moving to the UK. I have been involved in medical research for a number of years, securing substantial research funding as a principal investigator that lead to several publications.

For six years I worked for the UK Government as a Medical Advisor, Research Manager and Head of Policy and have extensive experience of representing and negotiating with national and international organisations.

Since returning to NHS full time, I have been passionate about the SAS doctors group,  and have a particular interest in career development and progression, including CESR , credentialing and medical management and leadership, and the barriers encountered by our group with these processes. 

I have been an Affiliate College member for many years, but was not directly involved with the college until 4 years ago when I decided to apply to join the SAS committee. I was appointed  Vice chair in 2016, a position I held for 4 and a half years. I feel privileged to have been appointed the RCPsych SAS Committee Chair in 2021 and am determined to represent our group and listen and learn from you all. 

I am hoping to meet as many as you as possible at various College events, in my travels around the country (virtually or in person when we can). I am interested to hear your views and suggestions. I would like to hear from you in person or via email:  specialtydoctors@rcpsych.ac.uk.

I am a Specialist in Rehabilitation Psychiatry in Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and a Fellow of the Royal College.

I graduated from Southampton University in 1997 and have worked as a SAS Doctor since 2004.

I have been privileged to work in leadership roles in clinical settings, education (as associate Director of Medical Education for Dorset Healthcare) and on behalf of SAS Doctors. I was SAS lead for Southern Health Foundation Trust for many years and oversaw the development of both clinical and leadership opportunities for our doctors. 

As Vice Chair, my roles include being a member of the International Congress Advisory Board and I'm currently part of the group considering the next steps for the College's guidance on Continuing Professional Development. 

I have a passion for empowering us as SAS doctors to fulfill our potential and promoting our essential voice within the College. 

I am a proud Associate Specialist in general Adult Psychiatry at Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust. Additionally, I have been the SAS Tutor for the Trust since 2015, post which I am stepping down from given my other commitments. I have been recently appointed as Associate Director of Clinical Studies for the Trust, working closely with the local Hull York Medical School (HYMS) to deliver undergraduate teaching in psychiatry, after being Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer for HYMS for 10 years. I have also been the SAS doctor representative at the College Northern and Yorkshire Division since 2013, and as such, I am a member of the College SAS Committee.

I graduated from medical school at the Federal University of Parana, in Curitiba, Brazil, in 1988, where I trained and worked as a psychiatrist until 1996, when I re-located to the UK. I was then a trainee at the East Riding Scheme, where I worked as Staff Grade for six years after leaving my training. I acted up as a Locum Consultant in Hull for 4 years where I have been an Associate Specialist for the last 8 years. Lately, I have been the psychiatrist lead at the Home-Based Treatment Team for Hull and East Yorkshire, since its inception 3 years ago.

I am as passionate about medical education as I am for the progression of doctors within the SAS grade as a valued and rewarding career option. As such I took interest in leadership and management, as a personal, and also as a grade, development, taking up opportunities for it such as the role of chairing clinical networks within the Trust, being an active SAS lead at the Local (and consequently a regional representative) Negotiating Committee, as well as the already mentioned posts.

Apart from all the above work commitments, I am a keen footballer which not only helps to keep any eventual stress at bay, but gave me the opportunity to get involved in managing a football team for mental health service users that take part in the regional FA sponsored inclusion league, and led me to be a member of the Sport and Exercise Psychiatry Special Interest Group.